Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops.
THE golden hammers awards 2024 are open!
These awards were created in 2000 with a goal of honoring excellence in neighborhood revitalization projects throughout Greater Richmond. Storefront for Community Design and Historic Richmond will partner for a seventh year to host the awards program to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods through restoration, adaptive reuse, new construction, placemaking, urban design, and historic preservation.
Design Session | Design and Planning Assistance
We provide community members with affordable design and planning assistance at an approachable level through one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer professionals. Learn more about Design Session.
Tactical Urbanism for speed safety
How do you slOoOw down? This past semester, we got to work with our very own mOb studio alumni, Lucy Bolin, during her internship at the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility (OETM) who asked @middleofbroadstudio to come up with ideas rooted in tactical urbanism to reduce speeds and increase transit safety in high need areas. Check out the OETM’s whole plan at rvaconnects.com.
Tactical Urbanism concepts for the OETM’s Richmond Connect’s “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” plan.
The mOb studio team presenting their concepts in class
Design Workshops | City Builders
We convene project-based learning opportunities focusing on real-world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.
City Builders summer
design workshops
Armstrong Leadership Workshop:
We kicked off the summer with a dynamic one-day workshop in collaboration with Armstrong Leadership students. The workshop engaged participants in a design challenge, encouraging them to think creatively about a commercial property in their neighborhood.
Gilpin Conservation Corps advocate for safety infrastructure at the Charles S. Gilpin Garden:
A significant highlight of our summer was our involvement with the Gilpin Conservation Corps at the Charles S. Gilpin Garden. Led by Danielle, our Design Lead, students engaged in maintaining and improving this vital green space. They received education on safety infrastructure and were empowered to identify local issues and advocate for solutions at City Hall. This initiative equipped youth with valuable advocacy skills and is a powerful example of civic engagement.
Special Thanks to our partners at the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility for hosting a mock city Council meeting for the youth to practice. And to Kinfolk Community for collaborating with Storefront to educate and engage youth through civic engagement.
Design interns
Design interns riding the GRTC PULSE
We kicked off with a design charrette to reconfigure Storefront’s office
This summer, we welcomed three interns from the Mayor’s Youth Academy and two from Partnership for the Future. These young adults have been exploring various careers in design, gaining hands-on experience, and contributing to our programs. Our interns have had the opportunity to explore several iconic spaces in our city, transforming the city itself into a classroom and learning more about how to use spaces.
They visited Urban Hang Suite, The Branch Museum, The ICA, and Common House each providing unique insights into urban design, interior design, and architectural history.
Special thanks to our Design volunteers Sabiya Davis, Stephanie Hernandez Diaz, Mecca Harris, and Danielle Worthing Porter for providing our interns with professional expertise in your fields!
City Builders selected to attend Virginia Tech Inside Design & Architecture camp!
Through a collaborative partnership with Virginia Tech, a pair of our former City Builders participants had the incredible opportunity to attend the Inside Design and Architecture program at Virginia Tech. This immersive experience was led by Hanbury Community Design Laboratory designers and took students on a deep dive into the fields of design and architecture for a 1st year student. Through hands-on workshops, lectures, and studio projects students explored concepts and techniques in architecture.
Thank you for coming out to DesignRVA!
The second annual DesignRVA was a fantastic time!
Thank you so much to our amazing event host, Seven Hills School, partners, exhibit hosts, Advisory Council, Board and the many, many volunteers that make this event possible!
In case you missed it, DesignRVA is our annual community day that introduces youth and their families to the design of our region. Through interactive activities led by community-based organizations and design professionals, youth explore and learn about their role in the creation and improvement of the places where we all live, learn, work, and play.
“ “If I could change anything in my community…it would be less stuff that emits fossil fuels into the air.””
DesignRVA offers opportunities for children and their families to interact and engage in hands-on activities to raise awareness about four critical needs of our area as identified in the Richmond 300 master plan (health and wellness, housing, land use, and transportation).
We had over 200 attendees of all ages come and take part in various activities centered around the design and planning of our city. From housing, bus stops, front yards, art installations and pocket parks, elements filled a map envisioning a greater Richmond informed by youth voice.
Conversations around policy, the built environment and planning spanned across the next generation of City Builders.
Anya Shcherbakova (Design Session Manager), Sarah Pritchard (Advisory Council Member) and Kai Banks (Youth Innovation Director) at DesignRVA. Photo by Kylie Heald, Fultz & Singh
A special shout out to our presenting sponsors: Virginia Housing, Genworth, Highwoods, SingleStone, Lynx Ventures, TowneBank and Froehling and Robertson!
Without this funding, we wouldn't have been able to provide this free event at the level of intentionality and quality to our community.
Did you attend and have feedback? Let us know on the de-brief form!
Thanks to each and every one of you!
With gratitude, Kai and Anya
News, Resources & Opportunities
Local project Bensley Agrihood on pause due to zoning issues (Article)
Statement from Girls for A Change on Bensley Agrihood
City of Richmond Healthy Homes program: Grants up to $15K
City of Richmond Real Estate Tax Relief program for elderly and disabled residents